Tire.



No. MQJZL Patented May l5, I900. F. F. FAIRGHILD.

(No Model.)

ATENT FRANK F. FAIROHILD,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TIRE.

srno rrren rron forming art of Letters Patent Ne. 649,721, dated May 15,1900'.

Application filed March 6, 1900. fierial No. 7,497. (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom, may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. FAIRCHILD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tires, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings. 7

My invention relates particularly to vehicletires of that class whichare made of solid rubber and secured within a suitable channel byretaining bands or wires. In this class of tires as heretoforeconstructed it has been found impossible to draw the retaining bands orwires so tight that in time dirt or gravel would not work under thetire, and this, as the tire creeps around the rim in running, abradesits under side, soon wearing out the canvas protection. As the wearincreases the tire becomes correspondingly loose and the slippagebecomes greater, and this soon wears loose the openings in which theretaining wires or hands lie. Now to make these tires fill the channelend compression has been relied on, this compression varying fromone-half to one and one-half inches to the foot; but as the tire becomesloose this compression reacts to extend the tire, leaving large gapsbetween it and the channel, with the result that not infrequently thetire becomes wrenched out of the channel entirely while running overcartracks, for example,

or around curves. Moreover, as the tire begins to wear loose it travelsback and forth sidewise in going around curves and becomes smaller thanthe size required to fill the channel, wherefore it is impossible tomaterially help the tire by resetting.

The object of my invention is to provide a very simple andcheaplyconstructed tire which shall overcome these difficulties -a tirewhich may be caused to fit the channel so tightly as to prevent theworking in of dirt or grit,while obviating the injurious end compressionreferred to. I accomplish this object by forming on the inner side ofthe tire beneath the retaining band or wires one or more grooves orrecesses, which when the bands are tightened cause the tire to flarelaterally, binding tightly against the inside of the channel. By thisconstruction I am onabled to not only make the tire fit the chain nelwith the desired tightness by reason of the lateral compression of thetire into the corners of the channel when it is first set, but afterlong wear when it becomes loose it may be again forced to its seat byretightening of the wires, the allowable spreading of the base of thetire due to the grooves being not all availed of at the first setting.Such a tire is shown in the drawings, wherein it appears in perspectivesection.

Figure 1 shows it as first applied to the channel on the rim of thewheel before being secured, the discrepancy in fit being exaggerated forpurposes of illustration. Fig. 2 shows it after the bands have beentightened, and Fig. 3 shows the tire by itself.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents a wheel-rim, and B achannel-iron se cured on the outer periphery thereof.

0 represents my tire. It is made of solid rubber of a desirable shapewith a flattened base 0, adapted to rest on the flat part of thechannel. One or more longitudinal openings 0 are provided in the tire,through which the retaining band or hands D pass, two being shown in thedrawings, whichis the preferable form. Directly beneath theretainingband is a recess or groove 0 in the tire ex tending around theinner face thereof of a shape shown in Figs. 1 and 3. On the under sideof the tire is a piece of canvas 0 which preferably occupies the groovesalso. When this tire is first placed in the channel, it fits it asclosely as may be 5 but when the wires are drawn tight the lower cornersof the tire are pressed outward very snugly into engagement with thechannel by reason of the grooves beneath the retaining-bands. After thetire becomes worn a further tightening of the wires presses the tirestill more into the corners, maintaining it snug. I have found that thebest effects are produced by two retaining-wires and two grooves ratherdeep and narrow slightly flaring and slightly curved at their points, asshown.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of awheel-rim, a channel thereon having a flat seat, a solid-rubber tirelying within said channel, one or more grooves on the inner face of thetire whereby openings are comprehended between the tire and the channel,and one or more retaining bands or wires extending longitudinallythrough the tire directly over said grooves, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a wheel-rim, and a channel thereon having a fiatseat and outwardly-flaring sides, of a solid-rubber tire seating in saidchannel and having a flat base and outwardlyfiaring sides near said basewhereby the tire may be freely inserted or re moved from the channel, apair of retainingwires extending longitudinally through said tire, and apair of grooves in the inner face of the tire each directly beneath aretainingwire which grooves are unobstructed by the channel and allowthe sidewise compression of the tire by the tension on theretainingwires, substantially as described.

3. Arubbertirehavingalongitudinal opening for the reception of aretaining wire or pair of comparatively-deep grooves extending 30 fromthe inner face of the tire directly beneath said openings, said groovesflaring outward toward said flattened face, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my 3 5 signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

FRANK F. FAIRCI-IILD. Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, ALBERT H. BATES.

